Trucking Logos Join Big Names in NASCAR

NASCAR races these days are a far cry from the events where beer-loving, good old boys used to tailgate in their pickup trucks and watch their favorite drivers zip around the track.

Mike Skinner, a top driver in NASCAR's Winston Cup circuit, drives No. 19 for Team Yellow Racing (Photo from Yellow Freight System)

In the bleachers now, one is more likely to find young couples or families who travel to the track in minivans to cheer their favorite drivers. On the track, mixed in with the bright colors of familiar race car sponsors like Valvoline and DuPont, are a few of the biggest names in trucking -- Yellow Freight System and Schneider National.

These trucking giants and others in the industry have embraced the changing face of NASCAR. They place their labels of support on racing cars and sponsor racing teams.

Some trucking companies are finding that racetracks can be a fast way to market transportation products and services. Races also offer opportunities to recruit scarce drivers and interact with customers.

Plus, the colors of Yellow and Schneider are virtually unmistakable trademarks to fans and potential customers who travel the roads.

"There is a very high correlation between the decision-makers in transportation and the NASCAR fan base," said William Zollars, president of Yellow Freight System in Overland Park, Kan.

Yellow is among a growing number of trucking companies putting their logos on the hoods of stock cars. The unionized less-than-truckload carrier started its association with NASCAR in 1998, signing on as an associate sponsor with a Craftsman Truck Series team. It also became a title sponsor of the truck series race at I-70 Speedway in Odessa, Mo.

The company expanded its involvement in NASCAR by forming Team Yellow Racing in 1998. In a sponsorship agreement with the Emerald Performance Group, the carrier committed to fund the No. 19 Chevrolet Monte Carlo for at least 20 Busch Grand National Series events during the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

On March 13, the carrier stepped even deeper in the racing scene by sponsoring the Yellow Freight 300 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway -- a first for the company.

For the full story, see the June 7 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.